A Liver Research Center was established by the Albert Einstein College of Medicine two years ago with support of a three year planning grant from NIAMDD. Substantial progress has been made in developing the Liver Research Center and is summarized in this application. Twenty established investigators in eight departments at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in collaboration with five investigators in three other institutions propose an interdisciplinary Liver Research Center with predominant focus on major mechanisms of liver injury resulting from infectious, drug, metal, alcohol, inheritable and parasitic causes; collagen deposition and its prevention; molecular mechanisms of hepatic function and regeneration after injury, and treatment of cirrhosis and chronic active hepatitis in man. Collaboration is planned with many basic scientists at Einstein as well as in other institutions: Charles Cornelius, University of Florida (animal models of liver disease); Kenneth Warren and Leslie Webster, Case-Western Reserve University (experimental schistosomiasis and niridazole treatment of chronic active hepatitis); Aaron Bendich and Ellen Borenfreund, Sloan Kettering Institute (liver cell culture and transformation), and William Jakoby, National Institutes of Health (GSH transferases and anion transport). Junior faculty completing post-doctoral training will fully participate in the Center. The facilities include 32 well-equipped laboratories for major investigators, newly renovated 2500 sq. ft. for expansion of the Center including an active Core facility, Animal Institute, 25 bed Adult Clinical Research Center, 12 bed Pediatric Clinical Research Center, Human Heredity Center and pediatric Liver Registry which involves five affiliated hospitals. The available clinical facilities include a 1100 bed general hospital and a 400 bed University Hospital. A large diverse patient population includes many patients with viral, alcoholic and parasitic liver disease, as well as various inheritable disorders of the liver. The Center will be directed by a Principal Investigator (Dr. Arias), governed with an inter-disciplinary Executive Committee, and serially evaluated by a General Review Committee consisting of outstanding scientists not directly participating in the Center's activities.